To The Editor:

Newtown has always been a community defined by responsibility, a commitment to doing the right thing, and insistence on getting value for its tax dollars. Serving on the Legislative Council has reinforced how deeply those values run. As we head into election season, it’s time to ask whether our long‑standing representation in Hartford reflects those interests.

Newtown consistently pays far more into the state treasury than it receives back — faring less well than comparable towns like Monroe, Bethel, and Brookfield. Newtown taxpayers have shouldered more than their fair share year after year. This is not a partisan talking point. It is a failure of representation. It’s time to ask whether having Republicans represent us in a majority Democratic state helps explain why Newtown is regularly shortchanged at the negotiating table.

We also deserve leaders who reflect who we are. Newtown’s voters support personal freedoms, public safety, and a welcoming community. Rep. Mitch Bolinsky’s record is out of step with those values — opposing reproductive rights, advocating for broader access to military‑style firearms, and repeatedly calling for ICE to be more aggressive in Connecticut. These are not the positions of someone who reflects Newtown’s centrist character.

On Memorial Day — a moment meant to honor sacrifice and service — Rep. Bolinsky delivered a speech whose underlying theme was “respect.” He spoke about the importance of respecting our veterans, and then equated that with the importance of respecting the current occupant of the Oval Office. The implication was unmistakable: that criticism of national leadership — including by comedians and commentators — is somehow unpatriotic. That dissent is disrespect. That is not what Memorial Day is about. And it is not what America is about.

I believe deeply that America is more than a country — it is a brand. A brand built on freedom, opportunity, free trade, strong alliances, and a commitment to moral leadership. That brand has been damaged by Trump and Trumpism — not only through division and incompetence, but through a level of self‑dealing and personal enrichment that would have been unthinkable in any prior era of our republic.

What is even more troubling is the tolerance of that behavior by Republican leaders who once stood for ethics, accountability, and the rule of law. If we want a healthy two‑party system again — one where Republicans stand for freedom, integrity, and responsible governance — then voters must send a clear message this fall.

Newtown voters are thoughtful. In 2024, many split their ballots — supporting Kamala Harris for President, Tony Hwang for State Senate, and Mitch Bolinsky for State House. That tells me Newtown is driven by a desire for leaders who reflect the best of our community regardless of party label.

But this is not a normal moment. In my view, that means supporting Democrats this fall. Not because Democrats are perfect, but because the Republican Party needs to hear, loudly and unmistakably, that it cannot regain its bearings until it repudiates Trumpism and returns to the principles that once defined it.

Arnie Berman

Sandy Hook